NEWS DESK
Teeth at the root of good health A $207 MILLION grant to public dental services by the state government will allow Central Bayside Community Health Services in Parkdale to treat clients with new and upgraded dental equipment. The state government funding will pay for eight dental chairs, steriliser and extra sterilising equipment, and an x-ray machine. The result will be higher quality care, improved safety and better outcomes for Kingston residents. The value of their service was brought home to staff by a letter from a former client who had been the victim of longterm domestic violence. The woman says the support, understanding and kindness she received from Bayside Health staff, as well as their professional treatment, helped her “reclaim” her life. “My teeth were a mess,” she told them. “You organised immediate extraction and an upper denture. A lot of that time is still a blur as I was in a pretty bad state: you helped me organise my finances, helped restore my confidence – and always with smile and encouragement. “Part of rebuilding my life meant going to counselling. Without new teeth I literally could not speak. Having been silent from years of abuse and shame it actually meant far more to me than just the dignity of dentures in normal circumstances.” The woman said she “could never express what your help meant to me at the
time”. Shattered and afraid, she felt her cause was hopeless and looks back now realising how staff worked to ease her pain, encourage her and help re-establish herself. Having new teeth meant she could build the confidence to go to court and “continue my battle”, as well as end years of isolation from friends and family. Her new, stable life is a reward for the pain she experienced – and a tribute to the helpful role played by Bayside staff who “saw a crisis situation and yet gave me so much hope and support”. This funding will provide dental treatment to 332,000 eligible patients this year, and includes more than $3.7 million to upgrade equipment at more than 40 public dental clinics across Victoria. Central Bayside Community Health Services will also receive funding to upgrade digital radiography equipment which will mean dentists can quickly share images with other clinicians and doctors. “This is an important investment in Victoria’s health system and will result in more patients receiving the care they need, as well as reducing waiting times,” Health Minister Jill Hennessy said. “Good oral health is the foundation for good overall health. “We know that lack of access to timely dental care can cause conditions to worsen and can even lead to chronic disease.”
Stephen Taylor steve@baysidenews.com.au
an instructional aircraft by Kangan TAFE out of a Tullamarine hangar. Deemed as being past its use-by date, the plane could have been flown out and sold overseas, but a missing cargo door prevented it flying. The Lady Luck stepped in: “Someone out at the airport told us that it was going to go for scrap, so we put our hands up and said we’d take it,” Mr McArthur said. That move is seen as something of a coup. “It’s a fantastic acquisition and will become a real drawcard for the interactive museum alongside a Viscount and DC3,” he said. “It is ‘old-school’ but still a valuable teaching tool. In aircraft-speak, 1982 is deemed ‘old’.” But not everything ran smoothly in securing the asset. “We still had to decant 15,000 pounds of fuel and get some of the internals stripped out: it took about a week to get everything ready,” Mr
Do it yourself A 28-YEAR-OLD tradie, of Palm Trees Av, Aspendale Gardens, took matters into his own hands when he found his van burgled 10m Tuesday. Thieves had taken his tools and an iPhone. After tracking his phone via Google he rounded up three mates and drove to a house in McFee’s Rd, Dandenong North. They knocked on the front door. A man opened it and the victim could see his tools stacked in the hallway. After being invited inside to collect his tools the victim reported the theft to Dandenong police who later visited the house.
Crossing review
Smiles better: Health Minister Jill Hennessy, dentist Priya Gopalakrishnan and Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson check out new dental services at Central Bayside Community Health Services. Picture: Gary Sissons
Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson said this new equipment meant the services could continue to deliver vital public dental services to the local community. “Central Bayside Community Health Services provides a vital service to our local community. The dentists and dental technicians work hard to ensure that
everyone has access to the dental services they need.” Dental services are a vital part of the Victorian health system and it is important that the government commits to improving dental services. Good oral health is vital to an individual’s general health and their overall sense of wellbeing and self-esteem.
WOOLWORTHS have advised The News they are now aware of fears outlined in last week’s article about the close proximity of a Safeway supermarket loading bay to a pedestrian crossing behind the Chelsea shopping strip (‘Crossing danger for pedestrians’, The News 19/8/15). A statement from a spokesperson said: “There are current driving procedures in place at our Woolworths Chelsea store for our delivery trucks to turn around within the parameters of the loading bay area safely and efficiently. “We are reviewing these guidelines to make sure our delivery trucks are entering and leaving the loading bay area safely and will implement improvements when necessary.” When asked to give a name for the spokesperson Woolworths corporate and public affairs media relations manager Sean Ottley said it is not company policy to provide a name.
Low flying arrival adds to museum’s family WATCHING apprehensively from a distance, Australian National Aviation Museum secretary Ewan McArthur was as proud and anxious as a new dad on Monday as his six tonne “baby” made its way slowly home from Tullamarine. But, all went well on the 40km journey, despite an incident with one of the transport trailer’s wheels, and the Boeing 737 fuselage, saved from the scrap heap, reached Moorabbin Airport in 85 minutes. “Planes are aerodynamically designed to move very freely through the air,” Mr McArthur said. “We had to time our run to beat the school zones, but all went well.” The former US Metro Jet, built in 1982, and later flown by Philippine Airlines, was until recently used as
McArthur said. “We asked for the engines, large forward section, including the cockpit and controls, and said they could demolish the rest.” The plane is expected to be ready for the airport’s Family Open Cockpit Day, 9am-5pm, Sunday 11 October. Visitors can inspect a Sea Venom, Victa, DC-9 Simulator, EE Canberra, B57 Canberra, Hunter, Firefly, Viscount Freighter, F-11 Module, Volksplane VP-1, Winjeel and Wirraway. As for their newest “baby”, it will be open and running with fans, controls and instruments all working. “Visitors will be able to sit in the pilot’s seat and pretend they are flying the plane as we encourage hands-on involvement,” Mr McArthur said. The museum, founded in 1962, is run by volunteers and members who take pride in its collection of aircraft and engines, models, uniforms and other items associated with Austral-
Economy class: A Boeing 737 fuselage on its way to its new home at the Australian National Aviation Museum in Moorabbin. Picture supplied by Membrey’s Transport
ia’s aviation history. The collection includes the oldest surviving Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation aircraft, the Wirraway A20-10, Victa AirTourer, DAP Mk21 Beaufighter, MIG fighter, Hawker Hunter, and a World War I display.
A total of 16 cockpits are open to visitors. The museum, corner First St and Second Av, is open 10am-4pm weekdays and 10am-5pm weekends. Visit aarg.com.au for more information.
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Authorised by the Australian Government, Capital Hill, Canberra. Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 26 August 2015
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